


The First Summer Back

by Satchelfoot



Category: Booksmart (2019)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21845809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Satchelfoot/pseuds/Satchelfoot
Summary: Amy's back! She and Molly have been reunited. Now they're trying to figure out what a summer vacation even is when you're in college.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	The First Summer Back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [surreptitiously](https://archiveofourown.org/users/surreptitiously/gifts).



“God, how do we even have places like this anymore? Has Amazon really not ground every used bookstore into dust yet?”

“Hey, not even Amazon can handle this many copies of _The Bridges of Madison County_.”

“Fuuuuck,” Molly says, balancing a stack of six books. “I need all of these and I’m not even done yet.”

Annabelle looks up from a dinged-up Ursula Le Guin paperback. “Uh, sweetheart? You remember it’s _summer_ , right? I mean, I completely support you reading Taylor Branch’s entire history of the Civil Rights movement, but what do you plan to read for pleasure?”

“Pleasure? Um?” Molly scans the nearest bookshelves frantically. “Willa Cather?”

Annabelle gives Molly the most eyeroll she’s administered since that time Molly tried to convince her that _Memento_ would be a totally appropriate movie for a dorm party. “Here, let me help you.” She stands and peruses the science fiction shelf behind her, finally pulling out another battered paperback. “Here. _Small Gods_ , Terry Pratchett. Theology, moral philosophy, alternate history, and, you know, _jokes_.” She balances the book delicately atop Molly’s existing stack.

“What would I do without you?” Molly muses, still balancing.

“You’d be crushed to death under a ten-foot stack of old Supreme Court decisions, as always.” Annabelle puts back the Le Guin book and gestures toward the front of the store. “Need any help with those?”

“No, I’m good. I think I’m…” Molly stops short and stares at Amy coming through the door. 

The whole tearful reunion after a year apart happened at the airport a few weeks ago, but every meeting between them still feels like it should be taking place in slow motion with shmoopy violins playing. Annabelle wordlessly lifts the books out of Molly’s arms so Molly can run the length of the store and do a mutual leap into Amy’s arms with accompanying shrieks. The poor bookstore clerk, who has been reading quietly this whole time, gives a start and peers across her desk at what’s unfolding in front of her.

“Oh, no. Oh, shit. What are you even doing right now? I thought you were beautiful last night, but you think you can come in here right now, ten times as beautiful, without even texting me a warning? Just _what_?”

“Whoa, down, girl. Stand _down_. Just turn it down a little bit? My eyes can’t process this much gorgeousness. I just cannot. How am I even touching you without getting burned? It’s liked that movie _Sunshine_ when all the astronauts get fried. That’s you, you’re doing that to me right now.”

“Seriously, this is a bookstore, not a goddess store. Are you about to blind me right now? Is that what goddesses do to people? It’s too much. _Too much_. You’re gonna burst my heart and my brain and my kidneys open right now.”

They go on like that for a minute while Annabelle eases Molly’s books onto the checkout counter. The clerk unhurriedly adds up the handwritten prices marked on the first page of each book. Molly finally turns to the counter, still arm in arm with Amy. “How much?”

“Well, that thing you girls just did was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. So these are 50 percent off.” The clerk wipes away a tear as she takes Molly’s card.

“Hey, Annabelle! So good to see you!” Amy scoots over and gives Annabelle a hug. Molly finishes paying and tries to slide the teetering stack of books back off the desk and into her arms. Amy steps over and takes the top three books off the pile. They all walk the block and a half to Annabelle’s car. 

“Just drop them in the back seat,” Annabelle says. “I’ll get them up to our room.”

“Thank you, angel,” Molly says. “You know you’re an angel, right?”

Annabelle smirks and nods.

“Hey.” Amy leans over and hugs her again, tighter this time. “Thank you _so much_ for taking care of my beautiful, exquisite goddess. I really wanted her to have an other best friend while I was gone, and you’ve been so good to her.”

“Oh, c’mon, I was nothing like you with her. You’re the life partner. I’m happy to be the side piece.”

“Oh, baby, you know I love you more than that.” Molly touches Annabelle’s cheek, purses her lips in a rapid kissy motion, and then hugs her too.

“Yeah, yeah. You two have a great night. Call me if you won’t be back before 1 a.m.”

Molly backs down the street with Amy, blowing kisses at Annabelle as she goes. “I love you! Hey, everyone! Bystanders! I love that girl! She’s the goodest!”

“It’s still weird when you deliberately use bad grammar!”

“I know! Bye! I love you so much!”

“Love you too! Don’t sing ‘Unchained Melody’!”

* * *

“So you’re leaving for orientation at Brown in three weeks?”

“Yeah. I still have so much to do to get ready.”

“You have plenty of time. You’ll be ready for Brown. Dunno if Brown will be ready for anyone as brilliant as you, but they’ll just have to deal with it.”

“What about you? How quickly did you finish all your reading for the first sophomore term?”

“Uh, during the first week of summer vacation. Seriously, I got straight A’s, wrote stories for the _Daily News_ , _somehow_ had time to get laid—Annabelle is _the best_ wingwoman, by the way, I highly recommend her—and still can’t figure out how to switch off. What is this ‘free time’? It’s not real. I can’t do it.”

“Well, let me show you then. I kinda figured out how free time works in Botswana. Maybe it’s not that different here.”

“There’s karaoke in Botswana?”

“I mean, yeah. I think there’s karaoke kind of everywhere. You just have to ask around.”

“Okay, so what are you gonna sing first?”

“I’m not sure. With George DJ-ing, I really want to pick a good first song and not get judged. Maybe some Lizzo? I’m kinda feeling the Lizzo.”

“You can’t do that. _I’m_ starting with Lizzo. Get your own perfect artist.”

“Okay, fine. Um… Ooh. Elle King. I’m starting with ‘Ex’s and Oh’s’.”

“Seriously? Woman, you better be ready to belt that shit out.”

They step out of the sweltering August air into the bar. A slightly butchered rendition of “Moonage Daydream” can be heard as the door closes behind them.


End file.
